Original equipment manufacturers have recently developed network computing solutions designed for simplified implementation and maintenance. In particular, hardware manufacturers and software editors have developed servers that transmit a single shared image to multiple clients. The shared image may include, for example, an operating system and any other applications deemed necessary by the IT staff. Upon connecting to the network, each client may stream the shared image, load the operating system, and execute any installed applications.
In these configurations, because all clients access the same shared image, the IT staff may easily maintain the entire network by making necessary changes to the shared image. Furthermore, in some configurations, each client may be a “thin client” that only includes enough hardware to present a user interface, since all required software is hosted on the server and all storage is provided by the server. However, in these configurations, problems may arise with the application activation process.